Displaying image data from a scanner capsule
An ingestible image scanning pill captures high resolution images of the GI tract as it passes through. Images communicated externally have exact location determination. Image processing software discards duplicate information and stitches images together, line scan by line scan, to replicate a complete GI tract as if it were stretched out in a straight line. A fully linear image is displayed to a medical professional as if the GI tract had been stretched in a straight line, cut open, laid flat out on a bench for viewing—all without making any incisions in a live patient.
1. An apparatus for displaying a representation of a gastro intestinal (GI) tract of an animal, the apparatus comprising:
a memory that stores a plurality of images corresponding to a plurality of portions of the GI tract as an ingestible imaging pill passes through the GI tract;
a processor configured to merge a first image from among the plurality of images and a second image from among the plurality of images to provide a merged image,
wherein the processor is further configured to apply a merge process only to a first region of the first image that overlaps a second region of the second image to average out indifferences between the first and the second regions.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to merge the first image and the second image to form a substantially linear representation of the GI tract.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically display the substantially linear representation of the GI tract in a manner dictated by a human operator.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause graphical user interface (GUI) controls to be displayed that can be manipulated by a human operator to change a display of the merged image so as to focus on a particular feature of the GI tract.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to permit a human operator to input a comment related to a portion of the GI tract in the merged image.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of portions of the GI tract of the animal is approximated as a plurality of ring images coupled to each other.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to form a plurality of rectangular depictions corresponding to the plurality of ring images.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to convert the plurality of ring images to a plurality of isosceles trapezoids and to convert the plurality of isosceles trapezoids to the plurality of rectangular depictions.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to merge the plurality of rectangular depictions to provide the merged image.